Dairy Farmer articles from May 2009

Dairy Farmer archives from May 2009

COMMENT: Stormtroopers on standby.
May 8, 2009... With milk prices crashing all around us, the good and great came together last week for a council of war. And what an august gathering - the NFU, Farmers For Action, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland, Dairy Farmers of Scotland, Farmers Union of Wales...

NFU says there is no justification for cuts.
May 8, 2009... Despite intense disappointment surrounding the deluge of spring price cuts, industry leaders praised Tesco for sticking to its cost tracker set at 26.93ppl and extolled other buyers to stay their hands. NFU's Dairy Board chairman, Gwyn...

Where is milk money going?
May 8, 2009... Farmer milk prices may be falling but there's still plenty of money in the dairy supply chain: it's just not in the right pockets! According to the latest figures from DairyCo, retailers made 10ppl more for mild cheese in the last year,...

DFB loses liquid contract as new structure is announced.(Dairy Farmers of Britain)(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... It was hoped that by now troubled Dairy Farmers of Britain would have successfully completed a deal to offload its loss making liquid milk division. No such deal has been forthcoming however. In fact the situation has deteriorated...

Co-op striving to reduce UK trade deficit.
May 8, 2009... The provisional deficit in the UK trade balance in dairy products rose in 2008 by almost #320m to nearly #1.2bn, reports Datum. The value of imported dairy products rose by nearly #380m, while the value of dairy exports grew by only #62m....

Defra's cost sharing gets angry response.
May 8, 2009... The launch of Defra's cost sharing plans for animal health, which could cost nearly #1000 for a 200-cow herd, brought a swift response from the industry. The NFU was furious, the National Beef Association refused to support the plan and...

Vote of confidence for farmers.
May 8, 2009... And now for the good news. Trust in UK farmers is riding high - and rising! Despite what may be thought to the contrary, a recent Reader's Digest survey revealed that trust is high with 82% of respondents saying that farmers were trusted `a...

DFB contracts.
May 8, 2009... In what will be interpreted as an echo of the Barnes and Willis court case, DFB effectively failed to persuade a High Court judge to keep three injunctions in place against members for breach of contract for supplying new milk buyers. ...

Year end.
May 8, 2009... The provisional year end production figure is 12,853m litres. Given the UK's quota is 14,549m litres we have ended the year 1696m litres below quota, before permanent and temporary conversions. Copyright: UBM Information Ltd.

New Dairy Council chairman appointed.
May 8, 2009... Sandy Wilkie, sales and marketing director at Robert Wiseman Dairies, has been appointed chairman of the Dairy Council, succeeding Barry Nicholls. Aside from his Wiseman role he is chairman of the European Dairy Association's liquid milk...

We're going to try injecting slurry into our wheat fields.
May 8, 2009... Although Tim Gibson has applied slurry to his wheat crop in previous seasons, that was in the conventional way - this year he plans to try something slightly different and inject it direct. We made it through the winter without running out...

It will be last time we take advice of fertiliser company!
May 8, 2009... Fertiliser prills are virtually being counted out down at Heale Farm where Sally Leaney is annoyed they listened to the fertiliser company about shortages and bought early. Turn-out has been late this spring and driving up the M5 corridor...

Perhaps these TV programmes are doing a bit of good after all.
May 8, 2009... This month Paul Higgins marvels at the upswing in countryside TV programmes but with all the chopping and changing that's going on makes a heartfelt plea for the lunchtime weather forecasts to be retained. There seems a bit of a...

Have we made progress since we de-regulated 15 years ago?
May 8, 2009... It is now 15 years since deregulation and Ian Potter looks back to see who the better performers have been. Shephard, Redwood, Steven and Dare. Haskins, Davidson, Smith and McMichael-Phillips. Ross, Clarke, Young and Howie. They could...

O-Man progeny making their mark in latest proof rankings.
May 8, 2009... The April proof run saw the O-Man sons arrive with a vengeance to the extent that the choice for breeders is almost overwhelming. Ann Hardy looks at the top 20 bulls on PLI (of which 13 are sired by O-Man) and highlights the differences between...

What we need to do to lift feed conversion efficiency.
May 8, 2009... Producers are constantly striving to get the maximum production out of any given feed intake, but just how do you do that? Ann Hardy reports on the latest thinking. More milk from less feed. It sounds a simple enough promise but one that...

FEEDING: Costs and gains.
May 8, 2009... Cost of the PACE system only * #150 per month plus taxes (#4.93 per day) For a 100-cow herd: * Cost per cow per day: 4.9p * Gain per cow per day: 30p Full package costs for the Mech-fiber 340 wagon plus PACE For a 200-cow...

Coopon Carse Farm case study shows margins up by #1.41 per cow/day.
May 8, 2009... The first detailed large-scale commercial study of the Mech-fiber and PACE concepts took place at Coopon Carse Farm in south west Scotland, where the system took over from rations produced in a vertical tub mixer. The study implemented the...

NVZs - are you getting to grips with the new rules?(Nitrate Vulnerable Zones )
May 8, 2009... Nitrate Vulnerable Zones and the regulations surrounding them are set to play an increasingly important part in our farming activities. Kingshay's technical manager, Dr Martin Yeates, tells us what the rules will mean for livestock producers....

GRASSLAND: Getting geared up for this season's grass harvesting.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... There is no shortage of grass machinery this season. While the emphasis remains on big kit for the top end of the market, there is plenty of innovation at the smaller end too. Steven Vale takes a look. There is plenty of big mower news this...

BALERS AND WRAPPERS: Krone Comprima F155.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... Krone now boasts the world's first fixed chamber baler capable of making variable 1.25 to 1.5m diameter bales. Called the Comprima F155, at the heart of the new technology is a combination of fabric belts and slats. Known as the Novogrip...

BALERS AND WRAPPERS: John Deere 678 TTSystem wrapping baler.
May 8, 2009... The new CAN-Bus VTI (Virtual Terminal Implement) 1300 display is a feature of John Deere's 2009 678 TTSystem wrapping baler. Previewed in prototype form at last year's Grassland event, the VTI system replaces the previous combination of a...

BALERS AND WRAPPERS: New holland B9000 square balers.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... New Holland has rolled out the rest of its B9000 square balers. The BB9050, BB9060, BB9070 and BB9090 produce bale widths of 80cm or 120cm and heights of 70cm or 90cm. Changes include more choice of knife configurations, from six to 33m,...

BALERS AND WRAPPERS: Kuhn VB, ET and FB round and LSB square balers.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... Kuhn acquired the Kverneland Group's baler division, including its factory in the Netherlands, towards the end of last year. Recently given the thumbs up by the European Commission, the company seized the opportunity to reveal its very...

BALERS AND WRAPPERS: John Deere Premium round balers.
May 8, 2009... John Deere is working on a new range of Premium round balers for 2010. Designed for large farms and contractors, they will be equipped as standard with a new fine chop pre-cutter and a new pto driveline, with longer greasing intervals for the...

BALERS AND WRAPPERS: LELY Goweil 3020 bale wrapper.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... Lely has launched the Goweil 3020 which can wrap round and square bales, including a pair of 70cm high squares as a pack. The new wrapper is offered as either a trailed machine or a static unit. The latter is a popular system in its home market...

BALERS AND WRAPPERS: Kverneland 7650 bale wrapper.
May 8, 2009... The 7640 bale wrapper from Kverneland has been updated with the 7650. The twin satellite arms are now manufactured from alloy rather than steel, which is said to allow the arms to operate at a higher speed while still being able to stop...

BALERS AND WRAPPERS: TANCO 1400 trailer wrapper.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... Capable of processing 90 bales per hour is the 1400 trailer wrapper from Tanco Autowrap. Key to this high output is the split turntable that can drop a wrapped bale as it lowers in preparation for the next bale. The loading arm is standard...

MOWERS: Claas Disco 9300C Contour.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... With a working width of 9.10m, the Claas Disco 9300C Contour is one of the widest triple mowers on the market. One of a number of new triple mower combinations to be launched this year, this initial version uses two 3.45m-wide mowing units...

MOWERS: Kuhn Quick release system.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... Kuhn is the latest to offer a quick blade release system for its mowers and mower conditioners. Available as standard on the majority of its mower and mower conditioners, the Fast-Fit system is simple to use, easy to maintain, economic and...

MOWERS: JF-STOLL GXT 12005 SM.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... JF-Stoll's large trailed triple mower GXT 12005 SM combination can now be fitted with the Collector swath collecting belt. Allowing grass from the full working width of 11.6m to be easily reduced to a swath width of 2.5-2.8m, this can be...

MOWERS: Kuhn GMD 3110 and 3510 disc mowers.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... The GMD 3110 (3.1m) and 3510 (3.5m) disc mowers are the latest centrally articulated mounted mowers from Kuhn Farm Machinery. Both feature the patented Lift Control facility, an integrated hydraulic linkage enabling the cutterbar to be...

MOWERS: Krone Big M 400 self-propelled mower.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... Krone's BiG M self-propelled mower is one of the big success stories of the last decade. Not wishing to rest on its laurels, the company is currently working on the successor to this machine - the BiG M 400. Following successful testing...

MOWERS: POTTINGER Nova Cat 307T.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... Pottinger has introduced the Nova Cat 307T, a 3m trailed mower conditioner available with either a side pull or centre pivot drawbar. One of the key features is the conditioner, which has been tested in Ireland for two seasons. The large...

MOWERS: CLAAS Disco 3100TC mower.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... Smaller Claas mower news includes the 3m-wide Disco 3100TC centre pivot mower. Unlike other pivot mowers on the market that only use a single hydraulic ram, this latest version has two single-acting rams fitted on either side of the...

RAKES AND TEDDERS: FELLA TS2000 side delivery rake.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... Reco, the UK Fella importer, has added the TS2000 side delivery rake to its portfolio. Offering a working width of 9m, grass is delivered to the right hand side of the machine by two 4m diameter rotors. One benefit of the side delivery...

RAKES AND TEDDERS: Kuhn GA 8121 Gyrorake.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... Kuhn 2009 developments include a new twin rotor rake (7.4-8m) to extend its Gyrorake range. Complementing the existing range of central delivery machines, at its maximum operating width the GA 8121 Gyrorake can produce swaths from 1.4 to...

RAKES AND TEDDERS: Pottinger EuroTop 1252C.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... Pottinger's EuroTop 1252C four-rotor flagship rotary rake features a completely new chassis, improving manoeuvrability and allowing transport speeds of up to 50kph. Offering infinitely adjustable raking from 8 to 12.5m, this flexibility...

FORAGERS AND FORAGE WAGONS: Mengele Agrobull 3000.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... Although high-capacity self-loading forage wagons are proving popular with some large farms and contractors, there are requests for smaller versions. Ruston's Engineering has met these requests with the launch of the Mengele Agrobull 3000....

FORAGERS AND FORAGE WAGONS: Claas Jaguar 900 self-propelled forager.
May 8, 2009... Class UK recently added two new smaller models to its Jaguar 900 self- propelled forage harvester line-up.The two new additions, the Jaguar 930 and 940, have power outputs of 415 and 453hp respectively. They incorporate many output boosting...

FORAGERS AND FORAGE WAGONS: Strautmann Giga Vitesse Duo.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... A feature of Strautmann's latest self-loading silage wagon is that it can be used as a forage trailer to increase transport capacity. Called the Giga Vitesse Duo, it features stronger reinforced sides with additional strengthening around...

FORAGERS AND FORAGE WAGONS: Kverneland TA10055R.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... Kverneland has returned to the forage wagon market with the TA10055R - a 55cu m version. Aimed at the most popular sector of the market, the 1.85m pick-up is equipped with five rows of tines to gather the grass and a roller press to aid...

FORAGERS AND FORAGE WAGONS: Malone engineering Silage wagon.
May 8, 2009... Irish manufacturer Malone Engineering is looking to enter the silage wagon market, initially with two sizes - 50 and 55cu m. The crop is gathered using a 2.0m wide pick-up, which is supplied by a German manufacturer. Five rows of tines pass...

FORAGERS AND FORAGE WAGONS: POTTINGER Torro self-loading forage wagons.(Brief article)
May 8, 2009... The addition of a new heavy-duty chopping unit in Pottinger's 2009 Torro self-loading forage wagons makes them even better suited to the toughest of conditions found across the UK. While the chop length is kept at 35mm and the new-style...

MILK PRICES: Tesco sticks to its tracker prediction.
May 8, 2009... Tesco has cut its milk price to Arla and RWD members of the TSDG by 1.32ppl from Apr'09, bringing its price down to the minimum possible based on Promar Cost Tracker. This currently highlights the average cost of milk production at 26.93ppl....

MILK PRICES: Arla Foods reduces price from May.
May 8, 2009... Arla Foods has cut its milk price by 1ppl from May 1 saying that the decision is a result of the continued weakness of dairy commodity markets and the consequential impact on all its surplus cream returns. It adds that the first quarter of...

MILK PRICES: Dairy Crest makes its move.
May 8, 2009... Dairy Crest will cut producer milk prices from May 1 by 0.75ppl on standard Regional Premium liquid contracts and 0.5ppl for supplies into cheese at Davidstow. While the base price for liquid will fall by 0.85ppl, the Regional Premium will...

WORKSHOP TIPS: Monitor your calvings through internet link.
May 8, 2009... The maternity unit on most farms may not be as well staffed as it should be as the consultant may be away on the tractor and the staff nurse busy with children and running the house. Ed Walley farms with his family in Cheshire, and son Andy...

GOOD EVANS: I desperately wish I had an airgun with me at the time.
May 8, 2009... This month Roger Evans turns animal behaviourist to study the strict pecking order among his cows and observe the fate of any member who transgresses the pre-ordained primacy. I've always taken our cows to be laid back but have discovered...